Abbotsford father demands answers after son viciously attacked in school

Kim Pemberton, Vancouver Sun10.15.2013

Wyatt DuBois, 17, left was attacked with a baton at his high school on Friday in Abbotsford. His father Richard DuBois, right is shocked his son could sustained such severe injuries while at school.Ric Ernst
/ VANCOUVER SUN

Wyatt DuBois, 17 was attacked with a baton at his high school on Friday in Abbotsford and needed several metal staples to close his wounds. His parents are shocked he sustained such severe injuries while at school.Ric Ernst
/ VANCOUVER SUN

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As 17-year-old Wyatt DuBois recovers at home from being viciously attacked at school, his parents are demanding to know why school authorities failed to protect him.

Wyatt’s father, Richard DuBois, said his wife earlier reported the youth arrested in the attack for bullying. And he said officials at Abbotsford’s Rick Hansen secondary school failed to report the attack to police.

Meanwhile, Wyatt says he’s too scared to return to the school.

“I don’t feel safe anymore. I don’t want to go back there. I’ve lost all respect for my school and the people who are supposed to keep us safe. I honestly don’t think they followed procedure or really cared,” said in an interview.

Wyatt, who is in Grade 12, had two cuts to his head — one on top of his head required six staples and a cut above an eyebrow needed seven stitches. Wyatt said he was also choked by the other student.

His father was left with more questions after speaking to students who witnessed the Friday morning attack in a school locker-room.

“Why wasn’t I called immediately when my son was drenched in blood?” he asked. “Why wasn’t the police called? The locker-room was like a murder scene.”

DuBois said his son was trying to stand up for a friend who was being verbally bullied and the attacker suddenly pulled out a collapsible baton and started swinging.

“My son was bleeding profusely. There were giant pools of blood everywhere but they (school officials) told the custodian to clean it up right away. It seems like the school’s concern was to minimize what happened, to do damage control,” DuBois charged.

The principal of the school did not return phone calls, leaving it to district superintendent Kevin Godden to speak for the school.

Godden said the school did not call police because they were told that call would be made by B.C. ambulance. Police arrived at the school about an hour after the attack and arrested a 16-year-old boy.

Godden said the school called Wyatt’s parents about was about 20 minutes after the attack; DuBois said it took closer to an hour.

Abbotsford Police Const. Ian MacDonald said the attack happened between 9:30 and 9:35 a.m., and police logged the call from the ambulance service at 10:12.

MacDonald said it would be a “reasonable expectation” for the school to directly call police immediately after an attack, but said he can understand the failure to do so.

“I find it difficult to fault people who are dealing with an injured party and dealing with an emergency situation,” he said.

Godden said an ambulance was called immediately after the attack.

Wyatt said he doesn’t believe the school secretary called 911, but instead called the non-emergency line for the ambulance service. “I heard someone say we need to call 911, then someone said ‘no. We just need an ambulance.’ I know I heard it,” said Wyatt.

Godden said the school prides itself on anti-bullying efforts and was singled out last for a provincial award for its anti-bullying efforts.

“We’ll be reaching out to Wyatt and to the whole school community. We held an assembly this morning for the students and a notice will be sent out to parents. We need people to step up and let us know about these situations,” Godden said Tuesday.

“It’s distressing to me that kids aren’t speaking up. The principal has invited kids to speak to him (about any bullying incidents or perceived threats). Staff can’t do anything about it if they don’t know.”

But DuBois said that two to three weeks ago, his wife met with the school administrators to report incidents of Wyatt being verbally harassed.

Wyatt said that in one incident, his son was walking with his girlfriend when a car pulled up and three male students, including the youth who has been arrested, jumped out of a car demanding a fight and calling Wyatt a “faggot.”

Godden said he wasn’t aware the family had tried to talk to the school about earlier bullying incidents.

MacDonald said police have recommended charges of assault with a weapon and possession of a prohibited weapon.

Godden said the student has been suspended indefinitely and faces a hearing to determine if he will be banned from all district schools.

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Abbotsford father demands answers after son viciously attacked in school

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